Means for lubricating steam-engines.



W. S. PEAVEY.

MEANS FOR LUBRICATING STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. 1915.

Patnted Oct. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WILLIAM S. PEAVEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD OIL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

MEANS FOR LUBRICATING- STEAM-ENGINES.

Application filed March 5, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, lViLLIAM S. PEAVEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Means for Lubricating Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n apparatus for lubricating steam engines.

More immediately, it is the ObJQCt of my invention to provide, in combination with the lubricating means commonly used for introducing oil into the steam supply on its way to the engine, a means for mixing the oil with water and emulsifying the mixture prior to its introduction into the current of steam.

For the purpose of making my invention more clear, I will describe aform of apparatus embodying the invention and operating according to the principles thereof. In this description reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an enlarged longitudmal sec tional view through the emulsifier proper of my invention; Fig. 2 is a partial section of Fig. 1, taken on the line 2; Fig. 3 is a. section on the line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. l is an elevation of a portion of a steam supply pipe, and showing a common form of lubricator and the connections between the lubricator, the emulsifier and the steam supply pipe, and Fig. 5 is an elevation of a horizontal steam supply pipe, a second form of lubricator, and an alternative method of connecting my emulsifier between the lubricator and the steam supply pipe.

Referring first to Fig. at of the drawings. the nmneral 10 designates the vertical steam supply pipe which is designed to be connected at its lower end to a steam engine and at its upper end to a boiler. so that the direction of flow of the steam will be downwardly through the pipe. as indicated by the arrow therein. Tapped into the upper portion of the pipe 10 is a smaller horizontal pipe 11 carrying at its end an'anglevalve 12, to which is secured a vertical condensation pipe. 13. and at the lower end of the latter is mounted a lubricating cup l-l, of a well-l nown type. Very briefly. it may be stated that the action of the form of lubricator' cup shown is as follows: Live steam entering the horizontal pipe 11 passes Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1 915.

Serial N 0. 12,424.

downwardly through the condenser-pipe 13 and the water of condensation drains into the bottom of the lubricator-cup 14, displacing oil therein, and causing the oil to flow out in a regulable stream, or series of drops, from the horizontal outlet 15 of the lubricator-cup. Attached to this outlet is a hand-controlled valve 16 which forms a. connection leading to the interior of my hollow emulsifier body 17. A horizontal outlet nipple, or nozzle, 18, at the bottom of the emulsifier body is tapped into the steam supply pipe 10 and may be provided with an inclined outlet 19, as shown. extending approximately to the middle of the steam supply pipe. Interposcd between the top of the emulsifier body and the horizontal pipe 11 is a condenser coil 20.

The operation of the apparatus described above is as follows: The lubricating cup 14 will act in the manner set forth to continuously supply a regulated amount of oil to the top of the emulsifier body 17. Simultaneously live steam withdrawn from the supply pipe 10 will enter the condensing coil 20 through the pipe 11 and in the coil the steam will become partially condensed and the resultant water of condensation mixed, with the uncondensed steam will pass downwardly to mingle with the oil that is supplied to the top.of the emulsifier body 17-. lVithin this body the oil and water of condensation will, by suitable means, be caused to become intimately mixed and form an emulsion. The. emulsion of oil and water as formed within the body 1'7 will be supplied to the nozzle 18 and by the lat ter conducted into the interior of the steam supply pipe 10, where it will be caught up by, or sprayed into. the downwardly flowing current of steam on its way to the engine.

A-prefelred construction of the emulsifier is shown in detail in Figs. 1. 2 and 3 of the drawings, from which it will be seen that the body-portion 17 is of generally cylindrical form, and provided with drilled and tapped openings 21, 22 at its top and bottom, respectively, and similar openings 23, 24: on opposite sides near the ends. lVithin the interior of the body there is provided a plurality of inclined baflles 25 connected to the walls of the body at their upper ends. as shown at 26, and terminating some distance from the opposite wall at their lower ends to leave spaces 27. In the preferred construction of these-baflle-plates, or wings, they are concaved or curved in their upper surfaces, as shown at 28, so as to form in effect downwardly inclining troughs. When the emulsifier body is used in combination with a lubricator and steam supply pipe arranged as in Fig. 4, the upper inlet 21' of the emulsifier will have tapped thereinto the condensing coil 20, the side inlet 23 at the upper end will be connected to the oil supply valve 16, the nozzle 18 will be tapped into the horizontal outlet 24 at the bottom of the emulsifier body, and the lower end aperture 22 will be closed as by a plug 29. The action of the emulsifier will then be as follows: The oil will enter in a continuous or intermittent stream through the inlet 23 and on to the upper baffle 25, and simultaneously water of condensation will drip from the top end at 21 on to the battle and mix with the oil thereon. The mixture will flow downwardly along the bafiie and be discharged from the lower end thereof through the space 27, and dropping on to the next lower baflie 25 will flow downwardly along the same, and thus progressively to the bottom of the emulsifier body, and during this downward flow of the mixture of oil and water the two liquids will become so thoroughly intermingled as to form a creamy lather-like emulsion, whichwill collect in the bottom of the emulsifier and flow outwardly through the nozzle 18 to the steam supply pipe, where it will be caught up by the passing current of steam on its wayto the engine. This particular form and arrangement of the baffles 25 within theemulsifier I find to be peculiarly advantageous for effecting the emulsifying of the mixture, the trough-like formation of the battles tending to confine the downwardly flowing stream to their central portions, so that the mixture will form into drops at the lower ends of the baflles, and these drops will fall into the central stream of the next lower bafiles, whereby a splashing and breaking up of the stream is secured, which proves effecti ve in forming the emulsion most easily and certainly.

To obtainthe best results from my emulsifier I find that the temperature therein should be upward of 150 F., and under 250 F., these limiting temperatures being dependent, of course, especially as to their upper limit, upon the character of the oil made use of in the apparatus. The regulation of the temperature within the emulsifier may be effected by varying the capacity of the condenser-coil 20, it being clear that the temperature of the water of condensation and of the uncondensed steam will be dependent upon the dimensions of this coil, and upon the rate of fiow of the steam therethrough.

In Fig. 5 I have shown an alternative method of combining my emulsifier with a lubricator and steam supply pipe. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, the steam supply pipe is horizontal and for this reason the nozzle 18 is tapped into the-lower end inlet 22 of the emulsifier body, While the side inlet 2i thereof is closed by the plug 29. 'In place of the condenser-coil 20, shown in Fig. 4, I may use a blind condensation chamber 30 tapped into the upper inlet 21 of the emulsifier body and closed at its upper end, as by a plug 31. In Fig. 5 I have shown a well-known form of mechanically-actuated pump lubricator, designated generally by 32, and designed to be actuated by the engine through an oscillating arm 33 to pump regulated quantities of lubricant through the outlet pipe 34, and thence to the valve 16 and into the emulsifier inlet 23.

In the arrangement of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5, steam will enter. the'emulsifier body throu h the nozzle 18, pass upwardly through t e body and into the condensation chamber 30, where it will be slowly condensed and the. water of condensation will drip downwardly on to the battles 25, to mix with the lubricant as supplied from the lubricator 32. Simultaneously with the inward flow of the steam through the nozzle 18, there will be an outward flow of emulsion through the same. In all other respects the action of this arrangement of the apparatus is identical with that of the arran 'ement shown in Fig. 4.

My form of lubricating apparatus is de signed especially for steam-engines using high pressure or superheated steam. In such engines great difliculty has been found in applying and maintaining a proper continuous film of lubricant on the moving surfaces of the engine which are exposed to the high steam temperatures. I find that when emulsified with pure water, under proper conditions, the lubricant may be introduced into the steam'supply and by the latter car ried to and deposited on the surfaces of the engine, and that this method of lubrication is especially effective and markedly superior to the former methods, in which unemulsified oil is made use of as a lubricant, especially in the case of engines using high pressure or superheated steam. I find that by my method of lubrication the quantity of oil required is considerably reduced, and the friction between moving surfaces of the engine is lowered, indicating a higher efficiency of the lubricant. I make no claim, however, in this application to the method, or process, of lubricatin the engine, such process forming the SllbJGCt-Il'lilttfl' of my co-pending application, Serial No. 12,423 filed March 5, 1915. My present invention is concerned only with the provision of a effecting the lubrication of the engine, in accordance with my process, and more particularly with the construction of the emulsifier and the manner of arranging it in connection with the lubricant supply means, or lubrieator, and the steam supply pipe.

Although I have designed my apparatus particularly for use in connection with steam engines employing high pressure, or superheated steam, and it is under these conditions of operation that the advantages of the apparatus are most apparent, it is to be understood that my invention is useful and advantageous in other services, and I do not wish, therefore, to have my invention construed as limited to this particular field of operation, or to the specific construction and arrangement of the parts, except in so far as I have included such limitations with in the terms of the following claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention in as broad a manner as is possible, in view of the prior art.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination with a steam supply pipe for an engine to be lubricated, an emulsifier chamber, means for supplying regulated quantities of lubricant thereto, means for supplying water thereto, means for forming the water and lubricant into an emulsion, and means for supplying the emulsion to the said steam supply pipe.

2. In combination, a pipe supplying steam to an engine to be lubricated, an emulsifier chamber, means for supplying a regulated supply of lubricant thereto, a condenser, means for supplying steam from the said pipe to the said condenser, means for mingling the regulated supply of lubricant and the water of condensation from the said condenser to form an emulsion, and means for supplying the emulsion to thesaid steam supply pipe.

3. In combination, a pipe supplying steam to an engine to be lubricated, an emulsifier body, means for supplying a lubricant in regulated quantities to the emulsifier body, means for simultaneouslv supplying water to the emulsifier body, means located within the said body for intermingling the lubricant and water to form an emulsion, and means for supplying the said emulsion to the said steam supply pipe.

4. In combination, a pipe supplying steam to an engine to be lubricated, a condenser having communication with said pipe, an emulsifying chamber located to receive water of condensation from the said condenser, means for supplying lubricant to the said chamber, means within the chamber for intermingling the water and lubricant to form an emulsion, and means for feeding the said emulsion to the said steam supply pipe.

5. In combination, a pipe supplying steam to an engine to be lubricated, a condenser having communication with the said pipe, a vertically arranged emulsifying chamber, means for supplying water of condensation from the said condenser to the top of the said chamber, means for simultaneously supplying lubricant to the top of the said chamber, means forming an interrupted passage from the top to the bottom of said chamber whereby the water and lubricant become commingled during. the movement through the said passage, and a connection from the bottom of the said chamber to the said steam supply pipe.

6. In combination, a pipe supplying steam to an engine to be lubricated, a condenser having communication with the said pipe, a vertically arranged emulsifying chamber, means for supplying water of condensation from the said condenser to the top of the said chamber, means for simultaneously supplying lubricant to the top of the said chamber, a plurality of baflles mounted within the said chamber to form a circuitous and interrupted passage from the top to the bottom thereof, and a connection between the bottom of said chamber and the said steam supply pipe.

7. In combination, a pipe supplying steam to an engine to be lubricated, a condenser having communication with said pipe at its upper end, a vertically arranged emulsifying chamber, connections from the lower end of the said condenser to the upper end of the said chamber, means for supplying lubricant 0 to the upper end of the said chamber, a plurality of bafiles mounted within the said chamber to form a circuitous and interrupted passage from the top to the bottom thereof, and an outlet connection leading from the bottom of said chamber to the said steam supply pipe.

8; An emulsifier comprising a hollow body having inlet openings for the liquids to be emulsified at its upper end, an outlet opening for emulsion at its lower end, and a plurality of downwardly inclined bafileplates mounted within the body between the top and bottom thereof, the said plates being connected to the wall of the body at their upper ends and terminating short of the opposite wall at their lower ends, each plate being of trough-like curvature on its upper surface, and adjacent plates being oppositely inclined, for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM S. PEAVEY.

In presence of L. HEISLAR, D. C. THORSEN. 

